Tsukihana
by DayDreamer-BleachLover
Summary: "Aishiteru" his heart didn't skip beats because she was frightening or powerful; his stomach didn't squeeze nervously because she was incredibly beautiful...GaaraXOC, R&R, T to be safe. Possibly going to become a chapter fic...


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing Naruto related.

**A/N:** so, I was thinking of making this a chapter fic, but it is up to all of you lovely readers. Make sure to let me know. So, read and enjoy and bare with me, I've always bee writing Bleach fics in the past, this is only my second attempt at a Naruto fic.

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><p><span>Tsukihana<span>

He ran cool, turquoise eyes over Team Genwaku as they stood solemnly before him, their team leader giving him the mission report.

Gaara listened with half an ear; his eyes constantly drifting.

_She_ was among them.

The bloodied bandaging on her left hand made him clench his fist on the chair arm.

He couldn't say when he had come to care about her, or even when he had started to notice her.

He did know why though, and when he had realized.

It was hard not to realize.

His heart didn't skip beats because she was frightening or powerful; she was only a Chuunin, after all; and while she wasn't shy or meek, she wasn't loud or obnoxious either.

His stomach didn't squeeze nervously because she was incredibly beautiful; in fact, most of the villagers of Sunagakure thought her ugly because of the ever fading burn scars that licked across her right cheek, jaw and neck.

However; when she covered up her neck and the lower section of her face, much like the Konohagakure's Hatake Kakashi, for her missions, the unblemished section of her ivory skin and the slanting chestnut coloured eyes became inescapably alluring.

Staring into those eyes of hers always made a man forget everything…her imperfections; his imperfections; the world around them.

It was what made her so valuable to Sunagakure no Sato.

Konohagakure had their kekkei genkai eye jutsu and the sand had _her_.

She was the spy that retrieved intel from their enemies without raising a finger; without those poor, foolish men even remembering having betrayed their nation.

And so she avoided making eye contact with anyone in the village at all times, for fear of them accusing her of bewitching them.

Those gentle eyes of hers.

Gaara couldn't stop those eyes from haunting him now, even after all these years since he had seen them.

At first it had just been in his daydreams. Now it was in his every thought.

He hadn't seen her eyes since he was a child…but that was what had made him remember her to begin with.

He had never remembered until well after he had become the Kazekage; but once upon a time, while everyone had looked on him with loathing or fear, she had watched him with an apology in her eyes and, even more disturbing, with a sympathetic understanding.

Gaara had never been a monster in her eyes.

He knew now why. Her father had been the monster; and all of the villagers had finally seen that, the day he had branded his only child with that horrid burn.

Uzumaki Naruto had taught Gaara a lot about how to live, what with his brash actions and talk of never giving up no matter the damage to his own self.

But this woman, who stood before him now with her eyes still downcast; this woman had made him love her beyond anything he could have ever dreamed up.

It had been a number of years now, since the Daiyonji Ninkai Taisen had come to an end and a sort of truce had come into unspoken existence in the ninja world; but there was still no way of telling exactly when, or where, the next threat would make itself known.

The debriefing came to an end and Gaara requested she stay back.

He frowned a little at the suspicious looks cast her way as her comrades filed out; and indicated for Kankuro and Temari to also leave.

"Kazekage-sama," she spoke quietly as he stood and approached her.

He didn't respond, he didn't need to; they rarely used words.

Stopping in front of her, Gaara took up her bandaged hand and undid the wrapping, wanting to assess the damage done himself.

The gash looked nasty but it hadn't gone deep and had been treated well.

Gaara rewrapped it carefully and proceeded to cradle her hand gently in his own two hands.

"I'm fine, Kazekage-sama," she told him, answering his unspoken question. "No other injuries. But people will begin to suspect something…" she trailed off.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at her lowered head.

He grasped her slim wrist in one hand and let the other trace lightly up her arm to rest at her exposed neck, over the disfigurement.

"Shall I see for myself?" he murmured huskily.

She stiffened briefly in surprise, but relaxed within seconds and he knew he had her permission, they were getting used to each other now after all.

Gaara guided her head up, and touched his lips lightly to hers.

Her hand came to rest on his chest and he deepened the kiss.

This kiss, like so many of their others, was passionate yet soft, familiar and comfortable while still being dizzying; but most importantly, it was sweetly intense.

When they kissed like this, nothing else mattered, it was just them, the rest of the world was blocked out.

He was no longer the kazekage, and she wasn't avoided…yet still, despite the fact that he was already so deeply involved with her, she still would not meet his gaze.

A small amount of annoyance mingled into their kiss.

"Kazekage-sama?" she broke away, frowning.

He sighed heavily and traced his fingertips lightly over her moistened lips and her closed eyes, apology in his touch.

He whispered her name and lightly brushed his lips over her eyelids.

Gaara had yet to think up a way to tell his village that he loved her without them all believing she had bewitched him. Every method he came up with was worse than the one preceding it.

He kissed her softly again.

"Aishiteru," he whispered, relief hitting him hard for finally admitting it out loud.

She gasped and stiffened, her eyes flying open in disbelieving surprise before she could stop herself.

Their gazes locked and held.

Neither of them knew how long they stood like that, staring into each other's eyes, both equally as mesmerized.

Wind slammed loudly against the window, jolting them back to the present.

There was a yawning silence and then she stepped back, panic plain on her face.

He caught her as she made for the door, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tight back against his body.

"Tsukihana," he breathed her name, an endearment as much as a name that tasted like honey on his tongue.

He loved to say her name. So few people ever did..

"I do not fear your kekkei genkai," he told her calmly. "I am not your father. I know how it works, you have told me all about it. I trust that my feelings are my own and you would never use your ability against me."

She shivered as Gaara lay a gentle kiss against her jaw.

"Now I need you to trust me in return,"

With a sigh, she let her head fall back so that it rested on his shoulder.

Their eyes met again and he knew he would always treasure these moments.

"I will always trust you with my life, Gaara-sama," she smiled hesitantly. "Aishiteru."

He kissed her.

Slow and deep and bewitching.

Theirs was not an easy love, but he would never give her up.

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><p><strong>AN:** I hope you enjoyed it, review and let me know if you want me to write more...you know add some drama to it, no love story is any good without a little drama and action.


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